Knocking Front Suspension

[Deakin]

Hi guys the Deakin here just over a year ago I had a new electric steering column fitted to my 2010 Avensis 2.0 D4D,because of knocking noise which seems to come from my front suspension Toyota themselves diagnosed this and fitted it but now the noise has came back and I think the steering column has gone again,i brought the car in to Toyota and this little mechanic about 17 came out and took the car for a test drive and then brought into the garage for a closer inspection,so he sent back news that the electric steering column was ok but there was a bit of play in the shaft further down so I ordered a new shaft assembly at a cost of £200 and they wanted another £100 to fit it,so I had my own mechanic fit it at a cost of £20,now I was expecting this to fix the car but it hasn't and i still think it's the electric steering column can anyone tell me if they have had one fitted and have they had anymore bother with it? i know there is another guy on the forum which had the same problem and had it fixed has he had anymore problems with his and can anyone tell me why the steering column has this problem in the first place.Thank all

[Devon Aygo]

There are two technical service bulletins from Toyota both of which could apply to your 2010 car

The earlier bulletin refers to a knocking noise over rough/unmade surfaces which is coming form front lower suspension arm inner rearmost bolt the modified part is 91554-L1690, the fix is simple remove and replace the bolt with the modified part on tighten to 214nm.

The second later bulletin again refers to a knocking noise from the front of the car whilst driving which is coming from the steering rack a modified steering rack is required part number for your car a pre facelift model 45510-05090.

[Deakin]

Thanks for the reply Devon do you know if anyone has replaced either of these the bolt or the steering rack and it's stopped the knocking?,because on one of my other avensis cars i changed the steering rack because of the same problem and it still did nothing to help the noise,i haven't tried the other rearmost bolt you are talking about I've never heard tell of it.

[Deakin]

Had the car into toyota today about the steering column and they told me that there was nothing wrong with it,but checked the shaft lower down that was replaced and put 2 new bolts onto the new part of the shaft,i also asked the service advisor about the lower suspension arm inner rearmost bolt it was meant to be modified but he looked up the technical service bulletin and told me the there was no modified bolt made for it.

[Heidfirst]

& yet Devon Aygo gave you a part no. for it ...

[Deakin]

Yes he did and the service advisor told me the exact same number but he said it wasn't a modified part.

[Deakin]

Just a few words say to that i took your advice about the suspension arm inner rearmost bolt modification from toyota and would like to let everyone know not to bother going out to buy them as its a waste of £37.00,i went and got them out of the toyota garage and had them put in this morning,im still am convinced its the steering column but toyota are having none of it,and to be fair i am not surprised at a cost of £11183.02 this is the second toyota i have had this problem with and i would say, probably my last as toyota are not them they used to be,they are now a mediocre car.In other words toyota are not the car in front anymore which i am sorry to say.

[FROSTYBALLS]

There are two technical service bulletins from Toyota both of which could apply to your 2010 car

The earlier bulletin refers to a knocking noise over rough/unmade surfaces which is coming form front lower suspension arm inner rearmost bolt the modified part is 91554-L1690, the fix is simple remove and replace the bolt with the modified part on tighten to 214nm.

The second later bulletin again refers to a knocking noise from the front of the car whilst driving which is coming from the steering rack a modified steering rack is required part number for your car a pre facelift model 45510-05090.

The post that Devon submitted actually said that both TSB's could apply to your car - replacement of the bolt and/or replacement of the steering rack.

[Deakin]

Yes I do know that but i had a 2.0 d4d 2007 avensis with the same problem,i had a new steering rack fitted,new shocks,new ball joints,new track rod arms,new anti roll bar bushings,new suspension bushings and can't remember what else,but still did no good the only answer is a new electric steering column if you have the money.

[Heidfirst]

Just a few words say to that i took your advice about the suspension arm inner rearmost bolt modification from toyota and would like to let everyone know not to bother going out to buy them as its a waste of £37.00

why did you have to pay anything?

[Deakin]

Because toyota say there is nothing wrong with the electric steering column,they send a mechanic out with you for 10 mins to access what's happening how are they going to tell anything in 10 mins,i drive this car for a living if anybody know what's happening it's the driver.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Because toyota say there is nothing wrong with the electric steering column,they send a mechanic out with you for 10 mins to access what's happening how are they going to tell anything in 10 mins,i drive this car for a living if anybody know what's happening it's the driver.

The same will apply to any car manufacturer/dealer. Unless the fault exhibits itself whilst they have the car, the only 'evidence' they have is your word that there is an issue, and, in the case of a warranty repair, that won't cut it with the manufacturer.

We had an intermittent fault with the central locking of our second car. The two times we booked it in for the dealer to look at, the central locking behaved itself - so the dealer couldn't process a warranty claim as there was no evidence they saw to back the claim.

[Deakin]

Exactly as as I have said do you not think but are they are not the ones that's driving it for a 12 hour shift are they.

[FROSTYBALLS]

No, but, as I said, the same situation will arise with any manufacturer - not just Toyota.

[Deakin]

I think your missing the point here yes you will have problems with other manufacturers,but it will probably cost you half the price to fix,toyota used to be bullet proof i should know I've had about 7 but those days are gone,they are not the car they used to be.

[FROSTYBALLS]

No I'm not missing the point at all.

We've had 18 new cars from manufacturers such as Nissan (6), Honda (2), Mazda (3), Hyundai (2) and Toyota (5).

From our experience Toyota are around average for parts costs with Honda being the most expensive, and cheaper for servicing than the other four (with the exception of our current Hyundai for which we bought a service pack at the time of ordering - £299 for three years services).

[Heidfirst]

Because toyota say there is nothing wrong with the electric steering column,they send a mechanic out with you for 10 mins to access what's happening how are they going to tell anything in 10 mins,i drive this car for a living if anybody know what's happening it's the driver.

if it's a TSB fix though surely it should be free?

There is no such thing as a bullet-proof new cars these days. They have so many more systems in them (often required by regulations) that there is simply more to go wrong.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Because toyota say there is nothing wrong with the electric steering column,they send a mechanic out with you for 10 mins to access what's happening how are they going to tell anything in 10 mins,i drive this car for a living if anybody know what's happening it's the driver.

if it's a TSB fix though surely it should be free?

There is no such thing as a bullet-proof new cars these days. They have so many more systems in them (often required by regulations) that there is simply more to go wrong.

Yes rectification would be free if the dealer found evidence of the fault - but if they don't find evidence they wouldn't be able to get Toyota to cover the costs.

[Bod&Hammie]

Can I just throw in a curve ball here.

We had a bad knocking on our 2014 Tourer and on the third visit to Toyota they decide it was a dry brake calliper on the near side.

They put it up on the ramp with a technician in the drivers seat holding down the brake pedal so that the calliper would stay still and another technician underneath took the slider/carrier bolts out, greased them and put them back.

And you know what, no more knocking.

It did come back again 10 months later but I did it myself on both sides and never heard it again before we traded it in.

Worth a go for you I think Deakin as it's a cheap or even free fix.

Bod

[Deakin]

thanks for that Bod anything is worth a try,my mechanic has been around all the ball joints etc and nothing seems to be loose.Will give it a try and see what happens,thanks again.

[Dani_Reis]

Hello

I have exactly the same problem, in my avensis sedan 2007 d4d 2.0, I hear on rough roads over the passenger side.

My mechanic was to see if there was fault somewhere, but not detected anything, he suspects that will be the steering box.

[Deakin]

Thanks Daniel do you mean the steering column?.